Operation Omega Shadow
by Kagemusha
Summary: One year after Endless Waltz, the Gundams are resurrected again, and a sixth pilot is revealed... I am forever changing these chapters as I fix them. Part Six soon, I hope.
1. Part One

*Author's Note:  The GW characters are not mine, though I wish they were.  Tyler Mackey, however, is mine.  If anyone would like permission to use her, please e-mail me.  This takes place one year after Endless Waltz and includes my takes on the Gundam boy's pasts and the reasons for which the Gundams were created.  While the idea for the story was influenced by plot lines I've seen in other fanfics, the plot in my story is entirely mine.

Preview:  In the year AC 197, peace has finally been achieved, and all weapons, including the Gundams, have been destroyed.  But what if that peace was threatened, not from within, but from without.  A threat from outside the solar system has been discovered, and the Gundam boys again find themselves preparing for battle.  But this adventure will take them to places they never imagined, facing the truth about their pasts and purposes, and finally, with friends and former enemies alike at their side, they will join with a new pilot to face the ultimate fight for the future…

**Operation Omega Shadow:**

**Part One**

    By Kagemusha (Shadow Warrior)

                Preventer Lucrezia Noin, code-named Fire, glanced out the window of the shuttle, staring off into deep space.  "How did a space station get so far away from Earth?  Neither the Alliance nor OZ ever reached this far beyond the Earth-sphere."

                "A more important question would be 'Why is there a space station just beyond Mars' orbit?'" her companion, Zechs Merquise, Preventer Wind, also known as Milliardo Peacecraft, commented.  "And 'Why is said space station contacting us?'"

                "I suppose we're going to get those questions answered."  Noin turned back to him.  "Aren't we nearing the coordinates?"

                Zechs nodded.  "We're approaching Ceres¹ now.  According to these coordinates, it's just on the other side."

                "Aren't you worried that it could be a trap?  If they've been out here as long as they claim, why reveal themselves now?"

                "It could be a trap."  Zechs turned to face her.  "We won't know until we get there.  Be on your guard, though.  Just in case."  Noin nodded, her eyes on the asteroid as the shuttle swung around it.  When they reached the rendezvous coordinates, her jaw dropped.

                "Oh my God," she said softly.

                "I don't believe it," Zechs agreed.

–

                Lady Une walked into her office in time to see the new message icon start flashing on her computer screen.  She took one look at the subject and immediately opened it.  A normal mission report from Zechs and Noin would not have been labeled urgent.  Whatever it was, it was important enough to warrant her immediate attention.  She quickly read through the message.

Lady,

The Mars base received an interesting communiqué from a space station that claims to be out beyond the Mars orbit, perhaps within the asteroid belt.  The coordinates we received for a rendezvous directed us to Ceres.  At the meeting coordinates, we found something… interesting.  Pictures are sent with this.  Do not let them out.

                                                                                                                                Preventer Wind

                Lady Une quickly scrolled down to the pictures, and stared at them for a moment, shocked.   Regaining her composure, she came to a quick decision.  She picked up her phone and paged her secretary.

                "Get me Chang Wufei.  I want him here ASAP.  Tell him it's urgent."

–

                Duo stood and wiped his gloved hands together, before swiping at his brow.  The pile of salvage that still needed to be cataloged just seemed to keep growing.  It was hard work trying to keep up with it, even with Hilde's help.  That never stopped him from trying.  Hardly anything ever stopped him from trying something.

                "Duo!" Hilde called up from the bottom of the pile.  He glanced down at her smiling.  Their relationship had not gone in the direction everyone had assumed it would go, instead forming a sort-of brother-sister relationship.  "Wufei's here to see you.  He's waiting in the main office."

                "Thanks, Hilde."  Duo clambered down the pile and hurried into the building, stripping off his gloves as he went.  "Hey, Wufei," he greeted as he came upon his friend.  When he noticed the look on Wufei's face, he suddenly turned serious.  "What's up?  You look like the end of the world is coming."

                "That assessment may not be far off."

                "What do you mean?"  Duo frowned at Wufei in confusion.

                "Take a look at these."  He handed Duo a couple of photos.  Duo took the photos and glanced at them, doing a double take as his mind registered what they were showing.  He stared at Wufei.

                "It's…  That's a…"

                "We know.  Lady Une has asked me to gather the Gundam pilots.  We're going to get to the bottom of this."  He took the pictures back from Duo.

                "I'm in.  What about the others?"

                "Sally Po has gone to get Trowa, and I will be leaving for L4 to retrieve Quatre in a few hours."

"What about Heero?"

                "We were hoping that you might know where he is."

                "Actually, I don't.  But I think I might know how to find him.  Leave it to me."

                "As you wish."  Wufei turned to leave.  "You have three days to meet us at Preventer Headquarters on Earth.  Oh, and Maxwell, try not to do anything stupid."

                "I'm insulted, Wufei.  You know me."

                "That's exactly what I'm talking about."  The door closed behind Wufei as he walked out.

                "What was that all about?" Hilde asked as she came in.

                "Hilde, I'm gonna hafta go away for a little while.  Think you can handle the junk yard?"

                "Of course, but what is it?  Why do you have to go?  Where are you going?"

                "I don't know, yet.   But whatever it is, it's big.  Something's happening; something that involves the Gundams.  We have to get to the bottom of it."

                "All right.  Take care, Duo."  Hilde patted his arm.

                "I will.  Just keep things around here running smoothly."

–

                The nameless boy who called himself Trowa Barton stood and picked up his bucket.  Feeding the animals was one chore he did not mind performing.  It gave him time alone with creatures that he felt understood him.  He turned to leave and was surprised to find Sally Po standing a few meters behind him.

                "Trowa Barton," she greeted.  "It's good to see you again.  I've come to ask for your assistance."

                "For what?" Trowa asked as he walked up to her.

                "Take a look at these."  Sally handed him a couple photos, identical to the ones Wufei had.  Trowa's eyes widened just a bit as he looked at the pictures.  "They were taken near Ceres in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter by Zechs and Noin."

                "What does it mean?" he asked as he handed the photos back.

                "We don't know, but we intend to find out.  Care to come along?"

                "Of course.  Give me a few hours, and I'll be ready to leave."  He headed toward his trailer.

                "I'll meet you back here in two hours," Sally called after him.  "You'd best be prepared to be gone awhile; we don't know how long this will take.  Hopefully, it's not as much trouble as it appears to be."

–

                Quatre was surprised when Rasid informed him that Wufei was at Winner Industries' headquarters to see him.  While four of the five pilots—Heero having faded into the background with no intent of being found—still kept in contact, it wasn't very often that they saw each other in person.  It usually meant something important was happening.

                "Wufei, it's nice to see you," he greeted when Rasid showed Wufei into his office.  "Please, have a seat."  He gestured to the chair across the desk from him.

                "I don't plan on staying long," Wufei said as he sat.  "I just have something to show you."  He handed the Quatre the same photos he'd shown Duo.  Quatre studied them for a moment, his jaw dropping.

                "Who took these?"

                "Zechs and Noin, out by Ceres."

                "What do they mean?"

                "We don't know."  Wufei took the pictures back.  "But we are going out there to find out what is going on.  Lady Une has requested the Gundam pilots' help.  Duo has signed on and is currently looking for Heero.  I just received word from Sally before arriving here that Trowa has agreed to come."

                "Give me a little while to make arrangements, and I'll go with you."

                Wufei nodded and stood.  "Be at Preventer Headquarters in three days.  We will be leaving then."

                Quatre nodded his understanding, and Wufei left.  Rasid came back in moments later.  When he noticed Quatre's troubled look, he asked, "What is it, Master Quatre?"

                "Something's coming, Rasid.  I can feel it.  Some new danger is about to threaten Earth, but we might not be as unprepared as you might think."

                "Does it have to do with what Wufei showed you?"

                "Yes."  Quatre stood.  "I have to go away for a little while.  Make the arrangements."

                "Yes, Master Quatre."

–

                Duo growled low in his throat as he made his way to the spaceport.  He'd been looking for Heero for two days already, trying everything he could think of, and hadn't had much luck at all.  He was fresh out of ideas for finding their lost compatriot.

Heero Yuy was just too damn good, he decided, and Duo himself was no slacker.  He sighed, remembering that he only had one more day before he had to be on Earth.  He stopped to buy a soda from a vending machine, figuring that he would need the caffeine.

"You've been looking for me," someone said from behind him just as he was taking a sip, causing him to spill most of it on himself.

                "Jesus, Heero, don't do that!  You scared me half to death!"  Duo whirled to face the Japanese teenager.  Heero stood only a few feet away, calm as ever.

                "Why did you want to find me?"

                "Hello to you, too.  Listen, it wasn't my idea.  Something's going down, and the Preventers seem to need all the Gundam pilots.  All I know is that we're supposed to be on Earth by the end of the day tomorrow."  He then grinned cheekily at Heero.  "Are you coming?"

                "Baka.  I've already made arrangements for a flight.  It leaves in ten minutes."  Heero started walking towards the boarding gate.

                Duo gaped after him for a moment.  "Wha…  How did…?"

                "Baka," Heero said again.  "Wufei and Sally Po go to both Trowa and Quatre, after which both make arrangements to go to Earth.  Then you come looking for me.  It wasn't hard to figure out."

                "Remind me never to try to pull something over you," Duo mumbled as he followed Heero.  If he'd been paying attention, he would have seen the slight smile on Heero's face that died before it could truly be born.

–

                "I'm glad you've all come," Lady Une said as she took a seat at her desk.  "As you've been told, we have a potential situation on our hands and would like your cooperation in this matter."

                "So what's going on?" Trowa asked point-blank.  "We've all seen those pictures."

                "I honestly do not know what is going on.  Zechs and Noin sent me those pictures without much information, saying it was too sensitive to just broadcast.  We'll have to go out there if we want to know what is going on.  Howard has agreed to let us use his new Peacemillion, and will be accompanying us.  Vice Minister Darlian will be coming as well."

                "Hail, hail, the gang's all here," Duo quipped.  "Excluding the scientists, of course, may they burn in hell."

                "We leave in one hour," Lady Une informed them.  "ETA to the space station is five days.  Then we shall get to the bottom of this."  Sally Po stayed behind as the five Gundam pilots filed out.  "Is there something else?" Lady Une asked her.

"You know a bit more about this than you're letting on."

                Une sighed, placing her elbows on the desk and folding her hands.  "I spoke more with Howard.  He knows more about what's going on out there than we do.  Apparently, the five Gundam scientists had something to do with this.  I also found out that the records concerning Tallgeese were altered.  There was one more scientist working on it.  Howard called him 'M', and believes that this scientist is on that station."

                "That would explain the pictures.  I suppose that what we're going to find is more than it seems."

                "Yes.  The question remains as to whether that is a good thing or not."

                "If it concerns those pilots, it can't be all bad.  We'll find out for sure in five days."

–

                Duo put his feet up on one of the consoles on the bridge of the Peacemillion and looked at Howard.  "So, what do you know about all this?" he asked.

                "You'll find out when we get there."

                "Oh, come on.  You know something; I can tell.  This has a lot to do with the Gundams, doesn't it?"

                "I would think that was fairly obvious," Quatre said as he came onto the bridge with Rasid, Auda, Abdul, and Afmahd.  The four Maganac had insisted upon accompanying him.

                "Well, yeah, but why does it have a lot to do with the Gundams?  I mean, the Gundams were built to go and wreak havoc on Earth.  What's the point of having one out this far?"

                "Back-up?" Auda suggested.

                "Still doesn't make much sense," Quatre replied.  "If things got bad enough for us to need back-up, it's pretty far out to get to Earth in time to help.  It's something else."

                "Getting weird vibes, man?" Duo asked.

                "Something like that," Quatre said, smiling at Duo.  "There's just something odd about all of this."

                "You're telling me."  Duo pulled up the files with the pictures in them on one of the screens.  "What could another Gundam be doing out here?  And why did someone build it?"

                "Yes, why?" Quatre echoed.  "Especially if it wasn't meant to go to Earth."

                "Perhaps it was meant for something greater," Howard said.  "Something much more important than the petty conflicts between Earth and the colonies.  Perhaps it was meant to save us all."

–

                "This is Peacemillion.  Requesting permission to dock."

                Zechs smiled at the ship on the screen, the smile growing wider when he heard Howard's voice.  "This is Space Station Omega," he replied.  "Permission granted.  You can dock on Airlock One.  Noin and I will meet you there."

                "We copy.  It's good to hear you again, Zechs."

                "It's good to hear you, too, Howard."  Zechs put down the headset and turned to Noin.  "We'd best go meet them."  Noin nodded.  As they walked down the corridors of the station, Zechs looked behind him.  "Does she know…?"

                "She knows," Noin answered before he finished.  "I saw her leave the Command Center after she saw Peacemillion arrive.  Probably went to inform the Sensei."

                "Then he will most likely meet us at the airlock."  He laughed wryly.  "Those pilots are in for a shock."  They reached the airlock just as the five Gundam pilots, Rasid, Lady Une, Sally, Howard, and Relena stepped out of it.  Zechs greeted his sister with a curt nod as he walked up to Lady Une.  "Welcome to Space Station Omega," he said.

                "It's amazing," Sally commented.  "What's it doing so far out, though?"

                "What is the purpose of this station?" Lady Une added.

                "I believe I can answer that," another voice said.  An older man stepped out of the shadows.  He was tall, with black hair that was streaked with gray.  He wore a white lab coat over black pants and a black shirt.  He was also a few years younger than the five Gundam scientists had been, but no less brilliant.  "You may call me Sensei M.  I am also one of the Gundam scientists."

                "So you're the one who built the Gundam we have pictures of," Lady Une commented.

                "Yes, quite."

                "Where is it?" Heero asked.  M smiled knowingly at him.

                "This way," he said, leading them down another corridor.  It came out in a gigantic mobile suit bay, where the controversial new Gundam stood in its dark glory.  The five boys wandered closer, studying it in detail.  While smaller than the other Gundams had been, they noted that it was no less powerful, its construction lending a certain fluidity that spoke of great speed.  A beam gattling and shield lay to one side, both black in color, like the Gundam itself.  Heero found himself particularly interested in the wings.

                "They were originally modeled after Wing's," a female voice said from behind him.  A girl his age, dressed in a mechanic's jumpsuit, came up to stand next to him.  "After your custom job to Wing Zero, we redesigned them.  A combination of both.  Ability to fold into a fighter "bird" mode, but still maintaining the power and speed of the wings in their normal state."

                "Strengths?" he asked.

                "Stealth and speed.  It was designed for space combat."  Heero raised his eyebrows, and the girl caught his look.  "It was never meant to go to Earth.  Planetary combat abilities are still at a higher level than OZ's mobile suits, but not quite at where the other Gundams were.  The design is similar to Wing's," she finished.

                "What are you, the engineer?" Duo asked jokingly.

                "Meet Tyler Mackey," Sensei M introduced her to them all.  "Tyler here is the centerpiece of our operation out here."

                "I'm the pilot," Tyler clarified.  "I pilot Gundam Shadow."

                "If the Gundam was not meant to go to Earth, why was it built?" Lady Une asked.

                "I will explain that in a short while," Sensei M answered.

                "Wait a minute, back up," Duo interrupted.  "The pilot of that thing is a girl?"

                "Do you have a problem with that?" Tyler asked.

                "Of course not," Quatre answered, attempting to ward off an argument.  "It's just a bit of a surprise.  If I'm not mistaken, this bay looks like it could hold up to ten mobile suits," he commented, changing the subject.

                "It was designed to service all six Gundams, when the time came," Tyler answered wryly.  "But we currently don't have all five of your Gundams."

                "Currently?" Trowa asked, picking up on the adverb.  Tyler looked to Sensei M, who nodded.

                "You should show them.  I'm sure Zechs and Noin would like to see how work is going on their mobile suits."

                Tyler gave one sharp nod.  "I'll bring them to the Command Center when we're done."  Glancing behind her to make sure everyone was following, she left the maintenance bay and followed another corridor through the station.

                Relena walked beside her brother as they followed the female Gundam pilot.  "Milliardo, what is going on here?  I thought we had finally achieved peace."

                "Earth and the colonies have," Zechs agreed.  "But out here, a much bigger war is going on.  One that our family's beliefs have no place in.  There is a much bigger picture out here than one sees from Earth.  Noin and I have only just begun to understand what it is they do here."

                At the same time, Wufei was walking beside Tyler.  "How long have you been out here?" he asked.

                "A long time."  Wufei forced himself to be content with the appropriately vague answer.  It was typical of one involved in a secret project.  And there was obviously some big secret out here.

                Tyler stopped by a large door.  "This is the construction bay.  My Gundam was built in here.  The Tallgeese and Noin's Taurus are currently being refitted in here, along with a project that began when we learned that you had destroyed your Gundams."

                "Project?" Heero asked warily.

                Tyler narrowed her eyes at all of them, excluding Noin and Zechs.  "Noin and Zechs have already joined our operation.  I want your word that you will not interfere with our operation, no matter what you see."

                Howard chuckled.  "You can count me in, if I'm right about what I suspect is behind that door.  And I believe that I am."

                "You were never in doubt, Howard.  What about the rest of you?"

                "If we don't agree?" Wufei asked.

                "You don't get in."

                "We will comply with your wishes," Lady Une answered for the Preventers, after talking briefly with Relena.

                "As will we," Quatre added.  He glanced at the other pilots.  "For now," he amended.  Tyler turned, apparently satisfied with their answers, and pushed a button on the panel by the door.  It opened, and she led them inside.

                "Tallgeese and Taurus are there," she said, pointing to the two mobile suits, both of which had some armored plates and various other items missing.  "We're attempting to refit them for deep space battles.  Gravity fields are different out here compared to nearer the Earth."  She then turned to the far end of the construction bay.  "When you destroyed your Gundams, we began a much bigger project.  This station has a gundanium refinement center, which was used when Shadow was built.  It recently started working again."

                The five Gundam pilots were already at the other end as she spoke, transfixed by what they saw.  The frameworks for five mobile suits stood, surrounded by scaffolding, some systems already in place.  The designs of the five suits were unmistakable.  As one, the pilots turned to look at Tyler, who now stood directly behind them.

                "You've seen and piloted Wing Zero, your original Gundams, the remodeled versions, and your custom versions," she said as she walked past them.  She smiled slightly to herself.  "Meet the Omega models."  She turned to face them.  "You five were Operation Meteor.  I am Operation Omega Shadow."

End Part One

¹ Ceres is a charted asteroid in the asteroid belt beyond Mars.

Questions?  Comments?  Send them to me at _Omega_Shadow197@yahoo.com.  Feedback is always welcome.  Many, many thanks to my friends Faith and Ashley for proofreading.  You helped a lot!_


	2. Part Two

*Standard disclaimers still apply.  See Part One for the full rundown.

**Operation Omega Shadow:******

**Part Two**

    By Kagemusha (Shadow Warrior)

                "Operation Omega Shadow," Sensei M began, "was originally developed by Howard, the other five Gundam scientists, and myself after we built the Tallgeese.  We had evidence of an alien invasion preparing to come to Earth.  Of course, it was not enough evidence to prove we were right, but it was too much to ignore.  After we designed Wing Zero, I went to Earth while the others stayed in space.  I was residing in the Sanc Kingdom, where I had been looking for the pilot we would need for our operation, when it was destroyed by the Alliance.  That's when I found Tyler."

                "You found her in the Sanc Kingdom?" Lady Une asked.

                Sally did some rapid calculations in her head.  "She only would have been two at the time."

                "Indeed.  You must understand that I was looking for a child to train.  The time frame of this mission was extensive, and we couldn't afford to have the pilot too old when the aliens did arrive.  Milliardo and Tyler were both potential candidates.  Relena, I felt, didn't have the mettle to be part of the operation.  Fate chose Tyler."

                "So you were looking at other Peacecraft children as well," Zechs said softly.

                "What do you mean 'other Peacecraft children?'" Duo asked.  "He said Relena wasn't one of the ones he was looking at, and he only mentioned you and Tyler."

                Zechs looked at Tyler, who was facing the window, and saw the muscles in her shoulders tighten, but she nodded.  "You wouldn't remember this," he said to Relena, "but Tyler is our cousin, and a Peacecraft by her mother.  She was living with us in the Sanc Kingdom when it was destroyed.  There was no mention of her in any records, though, because I imagine Sensei M took care of that when he took her."

                "Our operation did have the support of the Sanc Kingdom, despite what you may think," Sensei M added.  "King Peacecraft understood that pacifism has no place in a war where species annihilation is a factor.  And that is what they want."

                "We've had some encounters with scouts," Tyler explained.  "All attempts at communication met with the destruction of the teams.  All the evidence we have points to the elimination of the entire human race.  Even total pacifists cannot stand by and watch the genocide of our entire race."

                Sensei M picked up the story again.  "Even as the fires raging in the Sanc Kingdom were dying, Tyler and I were on our way to space.  I worked with the Doctor J until he and G, H, S, and O were commissioned by Dekim Barton to build the Gundams for Operation Meteor.  We used some of the resources he gave them to begin Operation Omega Shadow.  A crew was sent to this location, and the space station was built.  We cut ourselves off from Earth, and have been preparing for the invasion ever since.  In the chaos of the times, it was quite easy to slip out and disappear."

                "How do the other Gundams figure into this?" Quatre asked.  "Why are you rebuilding them?"

                "You were supposed to come out here after Operation Meteor was finished," Tyler answered.  "The scientists died before they could tell you, and Howard couldn't tell you where to begin to look, or whether we had even made it out here.  I couldn't go to Earth to get you because the scout incursions are becoming more frequent, probably heralding the arrival of the main fleet.  So we made contact with the Preventers' Mars base, had Zechs and Noin come out here, and had them contact you."

                She finally turned to face them.  "We need the other Gundams.  As much as I would like it to be, no one person could hope to handle this alone.  It's more than any one person, even a Gundam pilot, can handle."

                "So, you need our help," Duo said.  "Too much for you to handle, huh?  Typical.  When there's trouble, call in the Gundam pilots."

                "That's not what I said," Tyler returned, her eyes narrowing.  "I said that no one person could handle it.  Yes, I need help, but if you don't want to, I can get on fine without you."

                "Is there anything we can do to help with the restoration of the Gundams?" Quatre asked, trying to stave off an argument.

                "At this point, no," Sensei M answered.  "When they are nearing completion, you will need to program the systems for your use, but we are not yet there."  He looked to Tyler, who had turned back to the window.  "We can give you three days to decide whether you will join us.  After that, you must leave if you will not be joining us, because Operation Omega Shadow will commence.  Good day."  He stood and left, followed by Tyler.

                "Do you really think they'll join us?" she asked.

                "Heero will, and Trowa and Wufei.  The Winner boy and Maxwell I am less sure about."  Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Tyler rub her temples.  "Headache?"

                "It's nothing.  I'll run my normal sweep at oh-five hundred tomorrow morning."  She proceeded down the corridors to her own quarters.  Once there, she pulled a small device out of her pocket.  She hadn't wanted the other pilots asking questions about it.  She put it on and turned to face her computer monitor, feeling connection being made.  She sent one thought command through the networks, then waited as the requested information came up on her screen.

                The Neural-Electronic Interface, or NEI, had been developed by Sensei M early on in the operation.  The device, made of a bio-morphic metal taken from the wreckage of an alien craft, powered itself and fit over the outer shell of Tyler's ear with a piece that went into the ear canal.  Based on the same technology as the Zero System, it was programmed to interact with only her brainwaves, so she was the only one who could use it.  While it had its limitations, it did allow her to access information without the use of a keyboard—or a screen, with certain bits of data.

                All her information on the five Gundam pilots came up on her screen only moments after her request had been made.  Tyler knew that she had more information on those five boys than any organization on Earth or the colonies.  She perhaps knew more about their pasts than they themselves did.

                "They'll join," she murmured into the darkness of her quarters.  "With Earth and the colonies in danger, they'll do whatever they can to protect them.  That's why they're Gundam pilots."

–

                When Heero first entered the mobile suit hangar, he thought it was empty.  Then, he noticed the light coming from the monitors of Shadow.  Pushing off the floor, he floated up to the cockpit of the black Gundam.  Tyler was sitting on the open hatch, watching the displays, her back to him.  An extremely vulnerable position, in his mind.  Still, she managed to surprise him.

                "Good morning, Heero," she greeted without turning around.  "Is there something you would like?"  Heero immediately reevaluated his estimation of her.  Tyler Mackey was sharper than she first appeared.

                "M said you would be in here.  He also said I could get mission specifics from you."

                "'Mission specifics?'"

                "Operation Omega Shadow."

                "Ah.  Objective:  destroy them before they get to Earth.  Time frame:  unknown.  Tactics:  developed as operation proceeds.  Enemy:  besides the fact that they are alien, unknown.  Enemy strategies:  unknown.  We learn as we go, here.  There is no specific mission profile, save the defense of Earth and the colonies.  We are the last defense line, hence the title of Omega."

                Heero nodded his head in understanding.  Tyler was saying that this was a blind mission, and they had to be prepared to act accordingly and accept the consequences.  "What are you doing?"

                "Daily sweep.  Here, sit."  She moved over to give him room in front of the monitor.  "We have satellite cameras positioned in different locations from here all the way out past Pluto's orbit.  This station is in a stationary position within the projected invasion corridor, and the satellites are in various positions throughout that corridor.  And look here."  She pointed to one corner of the screen, and a new picture came up, this time of Earth.  "We also have satellites watching Earth, Mars, the moon, and the colonies."

                "How are you controlling the pictures?" Heero asked as he watched the video feed cycle through different views.  He didn't see a control board of any kind that she could be using to change the pictures.

                "An interesting little device Sensei M made for me."  She showed him her right ear, which had the NEI on it.  "It's called a Neural-Electronic Interface or N-E-I, more commonly and crudely called the "Mind Trap" by the technicians here on the station.  You might say it connects my brain with any electronic system in the station, and when I'm connected to the Gundam's system, much more than that."

                "How does it work?"

                "In essence, it uses my brainwaves and electrical signals to pass information.  I can learn what any computer knows, provided I can convert the data correctly.  I can also control that computer's system, like the displays here."

                "Can you control the Gundam?"

                "To a certain extent.  It's similar to a mobile doll's control system.  But there's no replacement for a pilot at the controls, so I use it to control fighter drones and access information while I'm flying the Gundam."  Tyler glanced sideways at him.  "Don't think about trying to use it.  It's programmed specifically for my brainwaves."

                "Understood."

                Tyler suddenly snorted.  "I'm usually not this talkative, but you all have a lot of information to assimilate in a short amount of time.  I have to do all I can to help you assimilate it all, which means explaining everything.  It's rather odd."

                "You do what you must to complete the mission," Heero replied.

                "Hai."  Tyler nodded and stood, canceling all the displays on the monitor.  "Morning sweep complete," she reported the Command Center.  She looked to Heero.  "Care to join me in my training program?"

                "Hai."  Tyler led Heero through the station, which she knew like the back of her own hand, to a room nearer the outside wall of the station.  Duo, Quatre, Trowa, and Wufei were all in the training room when Tyler and Heero walked in.

                "Sensei M told us that you'd be in here when you finished your sweep," Quatre explained.  "We've decided to join your operation.  We're at your disposal."

                Tyler nodded in acceptance and gestured to the equipment in the room.  "Start training.  You've had a year off, but it's time to start again."  She beckoned Quatre over to a bench press while the others started on some of the other equipment.  "Spot me," she requested, putting some weight on the bar.  "You're the leader of the pilots, correct?" she asked as she began.

                "De facto leader, yes," Quatre answered as he held one had under the bar to guide it.  "I'll be deferring leadership to you, of course."

                "I was thinking more along the lines of a co-leadership.  I know the mission and, to some extent, the enemy, but you know them."  She jerked her chin in the direction of the other pilots.  "I can study files on you five all I want, but that doesn't make up for first-hand experience.  You know how they work as a unit; I don't.  It's that simple."

                "A partnership, then.  That could work.  We'd need to give it time, though.  You have to learn how I think, and I have to learn how you think."

                "That's why I have a proposal," Tyler said as she returned the bar to its rest position.  "You devote the next week to training with me, and we see if we can make it work.  Fair warning, though:  Sensei M and I are both hard task-masters."

                Quatre nodded absently.  Hard training didn't deter him in the least.  He'd had enough training for Operation Meteor.  "Define training."

                Tyler gave him what Quatre quickly realized was a rare smile.  "You'll find out."

–

                "She's going to need a field commission, at the very least," Zechs said, standing in front of the Tallgeese, which still had technicians hard at work on modifying it.  He turned to Lady Une.  "If you're going to send more Preventers out here, she's going to need the authority to command them."

                Une nodded.  "I've already spoken to Quatre and Tyler about it.  They had an idea.  We're going to form a Gundam unit with Tyler and Quatre sharing the command.  They'll all be given full-rank commissions and code-names.  Sally has already requested a transfer to the new unit, to serve as a sort-of base liaison.  It's been requested of me to ask if you and Noin would like a transfer as well."

                "I wouldn't refuse the opportunity to be part of that unit for the world.  Noin would not, either.  Tell Tyler and Quatre that they have two more pilots."

                "I will inform them."  Zechs nodded to her and left.  He must have run into the two pilots out in the corridor, because they entered the construction bay not a minute later.   Both glanced around, taking in the progress on all the mobile suits as they made their way over to her.

                "Zechs tells us that he and Noin will be joining our unit," Quatre said as a greeting.  "Thank you for passing on our request."

                "It was my pleasure.  It's fortunate that you two showed up here.  I have some things I would like to discuss with you."

                "Perhaps we should talk somewhere quieter," Tyler suggested over the din of the machinery working on the new Gundams.  She gestured to a room overlooking the construction bay.

                "This room is mainly used for observing the construction and repair of the Gundams," she explained as they entered.  "As I'm sure you've noticed, this station is basically a scaled-down Island 2-type colony, just without the amenities of a normal colony.  No parodies of Earth, here.  No wasted space, either."  She gestured to the charts and schematics all over the room.  "This is where we planned and designed the Gundams.  Schematics are kept in here for consultation when they are damaged."

                "Keeping them within easy reach when doing repairs," Quatre commented.

                "Exactly.  What did you want to speak with us about, Lady?"

                Lady Une sat down in a chair, gesturing for the two pilots to sit as well.  "I wish to discuss ranks and code-names for all of you.  Wufei, Zechs, Noin, and Sally all have ranks and code-names, but Heero, Trowa, and yourselves will need them as well.  I'm writing up the official orders now, but I wanted to inform you of the decisions first.  Now Tyler, as I am the commander-in-chief of the Preventers, you will be reporting to me, but I defer command of this region to you, and give you free reign.

                "You and Quatre are both given the rank of captain, with code-names of your choice.  Wufei is being promoted to commander, with his code-name of Dragon.  Heero will also be given the rank of commander.  Zechs, Noin, and Sally—Preventers Wind, Fire, and Water—have all chosen to remain lieutenant commanders, and Duo and Trowa will be lieutenants.  I didn't have the heart to rank anyone as an ensign or lower, and their abilities warrant their ranks.

                "In your inter-unit chain-of-command, I would recommend that each of you has a direct subordinate.  I will leave those arrangements up to you.  Just inform me when your decisions have been made."

                "We were thinking along those lines," Quatre admitted.  "We will inform you as soon as we have made the decisions about our subordinates.  We were also thinking of putting Sally in charge of the station during battles, as she's not a mobile suit pilot.  I'm glad we had the same idea for the chain-of-command.  It makes it much simpler that we were all thinking along the same lines.  Tyler, I believe you had a request to make."

                "Hai.  Lady Une, I would like to request the use of any mobile dolls that are still lying around.  Mobile suits that can be made into mobile dolls would work, too.  Honestly, I don't approve of the system, but it's one of the few things we have to work with."

                Lady Une nodded.  "When I get back to Earth, I'll see what I can dig up and send out to you.  What about the Maganac?" she asked of Quatre.

                "They'll be used wherever we can use them," Quatre answered.

                "We'll make certain they all get out here, in that case."  Lady Une stood and nodded to them.  "Thank you for taking the time to speak with me."

                "It was our pleasure," replied Quatre as he also stood.  Just as Tyler was standing up, the station alarms went off.

                "Tyler," a technician's voice came over the comm system, "we have a confirmed sighting of an enemy ship.  Report to your Gundam and prepare for launch right away."

                "Understood."  As Tyler headed out the door, she looked back at Quatre and Lady Une.  "Get to the Command Center.  It's time you met our enemies."

End Part Two

Sorry for the cliffhanger ending, but I have no idea yet what the aliens or their ships should look like.  If you have any ideas, please send them to me at _Omega_Shadow197@yahoo.com.  Ideas for code-names for Heero, Quatre, and Trowa would be appreciated too.  Send feedback, please!_


	3. Part Three

*See Part One for the full disclaimer.  Unfortunately, I still don't own the Gundam Wing characters ::sigh::.  Tyler and Sensei M are mine, though.  We finally have the aliens' first appearance in the story!  I thought I would get this done sooner, but so many different things came up, and suddenly I had writer's block.  Gomen nasai!

**Operation Omega Shadow:**

**Part Three**

      By Kagemusha (Shadow Warrior)

                When Lady Une and Quatre arrived in the command center of the station, the other four Gundam pilots and Zechs were already there.  Sensei M turned to acknowledge their presence, then looked back to the many screens that adorned walls of the room.  A video of Shadow in its berth was on one of them, the rest seemed to show different views of one area of space.

                "You're just in time," Sensei M said.  "Tyler will be launching in a few minutes."  As he spoke, they could all see a figure clad in a black flight suit climb into Shadow's cockpit.  The Gundam's eyes glowed green as it powered up, and it suddenly moved to the opening doors to space.  The view of the docking bay immediately changed to show the inside of the Gundam's cockpit, where Tyler was focused on all her readout displays.

                "I need the coordinates, Mark," she commented without even looking at her view of the command center.

                "They should be coming up for you, now," one of the technicians replied.

                Tyler's eyes flicked to a corner of the screen they couldn't see.  "Thanks.  My ETA is twenty-five minutes to intercept point.  Going to flight stealth mode.  Comm silence until intercept."

                "Understood.  Good luck."  The screen dissolved into static, leaving them looking at only empty space.

                "I don't see her," Duo stated.  "Where is she?"

                "I'm working on it," the technician—Mark—replied.  "We'll be able to see her in just a moment."  Even as he spoke, a black object appeared on one of the screens.  The five Gundam pilots noted that it resembled nothing so much as a giant black bird-of-prey.  Like the original Gundam Wing, it transformed into a bird-mode, but it looked even more like a bird with wings like those on Heero's custom job to Wing Zero.

                "You can barely see it," Lady Une commented.  "I suppose it's designed to hide in space?"

                "There's ECM equipment aboard, too," Mark answered.  "We've spent the better part of the last two years deciphering alien signals and programming the equipment to jam them.  She's now able to approach them completely undetected.  The main problem we have now is that we're only able to track her through visual means, and with Shadow's coloring, it's difficult."

                "How many enemy ships are there?" Wufei asked.

                "I have five fighters and one scout analog," a different technician answered.

                "Can she handle them all?"

                "Tyler is an excellent pilot," Sensei M returned.  "Do not discount her because of her gender.  She is on the same level as you five, if not higher."

                "We'll see about that," Duo said.

–

                With Shadow's systems running on minimum power, the cockpit of the Gundam was almost completely dark.  Tyler sat with her arms crossed and eyes closed, waiting.  She could feel the adrenaline in her body building up, and directed it to increase her senses and response time.  In space, one wrong move—or one timed too late—could mean failure and death.  Not just her own, but all of humanity's.

                Her eyes opened to bare slits as a panel beeped softly at her, flashing red light through the cockpit.  "One minute," she murmured.  Her internal clock ticked down the seconds as her enemies approached her attack range.  Her arms unfolded, and she flexed her hands over the controls.

                As her mental countdown hit zero, she powered up the Gundam's systems and moved to attack.  The first shot with the beam gattling destroyed one needle-shaped fighter and damaged another.  As she finished off that one, the other three moved to attack while the scout attempted to retreat.

                "You shan't escape me," Tyler murmured almost unconsciously.  "You'll follow these three into whatever afterlife you believe in."

–

                "Shadow has engaged the enemy," Mark reported.  All eyes in the Command Center were fixed on the multiple views of the battle unfolding just inside Jupiter's orbit.  Lasers shot at Tyler's Gundam from the tips of the fighters as they maneuvered around her.  Tyler abandoned her beam gattling in order to save shots, turning instead to her beam saber.

                "Good," Heero grunted.  "Trying to aim the beam gattling would waste time.  The saber's faster."  He nodded in approval as she caught two of the remaining fighters with one side-swing.

                The last fighter began firing wildly while setting a crash course.  The single lasers were virtually ineffective against the gundanium armor, but crashing the ship into the Gundam had the potential to create the desired effect.

                "What's she waiting for?" Duo asked nervously.  "Can the Gundam stand up to a kamikaze attack?"  
                "Watch," Sensei M replied.

                Just as the fighter was about to hit, Shadow's rockets fired, sending the Gundam up and over the fighter, the beam saber pointing down.  The fighter was torn in half as Shadow shot after the scout.  With no weapons and less mobility than the fighters, the Gundam was able to make short work of the ship.

                "Tyler, report," Mark demanded as the short-lived fireball dissipated.  Tyler's image appeared on the screen in front of him.

                "Minimal damage.  Systems functioning at optimal levels.  ETA thirty minutes to base."

                "Acknowledged.  Good work, Shadow."

                "Hn."  Activity in the Command Center returned to normal as Tyler's image faded from the screen.  The Gundam pilots exchanged glances, processing what they had just witnessed.  They were also aware of Sensei M watching them closely.

                "She's good," Quatre said finally.

                "Worthy of piloting a Gundam," Trowa quietly agreed.  "That was the enemy?" he asked of Sensei M.

                "Yes, though that incursion was different from the others.  Usually there are only fighters."

                "What do you think they were trying to accomplish?" Zechs asked.

                "In facing them, Tyler might have a better idea of that.  We shall speak with her when she returns."  He turned his back to them, effectively dismissing them.  While Zechs and Lady Une stayed behind, the five pilots left the Command Center and strode down the corridor.

                "She's better than I was going to give her credit for," Duo admitted after a minute.  "Lots better.  She certainly knows what she's doing."

                "This enemy will be different than anything we have faced before," Wufei said.  "Tyler destroyed the ships with apparent ease, but she has been fighting this enemy for years longer than we spent actually fighting on Earth."

                "Tyler has time over us," Quatre agreed.  "In training as well as in experience.  We must remember that she's been training since the Sanc Kingdom fell fifteen years ago.  She was a Gundam pilot before we even knew what Gundams were.  But she doesn't quite know what to make of us.  She's studied us, but she hasn't really known us.  Like us, she's more human than she wants to admit."

                "She's a soldier," Heero said.  "That's the life she was trained to live.  But I don't want to go back to that life.  Not now.  She needs to learn what we have."

                "She needs a family, friends, comrades," Trowa added.  "She needs what we found in each other, and those we met while we were on Earth."

                "We have to be the ones to give it to her," Quatre said softly.  "Us and Zechs.  We're the ones who understand who she is.  She needs to rediscover her humanity before she can save the human race.  Otherwise she'll be just like we were:  fighting the enemy until the enemy finally gets her."

                "Tyler is one of us," Duo stated.  "And so being one of us, I'm going to do everything I can to make sure she doesn't destroy herself."

                "Ninmu ryoukai," Heero said with a slight smirk.  "We should be there to meet Shadow when she gets in."

–

                When Tyler climbed out of the cockpit of her Gundam, she looked around, assessing the damage to Shadow.  Sore, tired muscles protested any movement after her hours in the Gundam.  She stretched as the techs gathered around the Gundam.

                "We'll fix Shadow up," one of them said.

                "Yoshi," Tyler replied.  She stepped off the hatch and sank to the deck.

                "Konbanwa," Heero greeted as she stepped out of the hangar.

                "Heero."  Tyler started down the corridor, with every intention of finding a shower and then dropping onto her bed.  To her annoyance, Heero followed.  "I'm not in the mood for company, Yuy."

                "We were wondering if you'd join us in the mess.  You need food."

                "I need a shower and my bed.  All else matters little at this moment."

                "Humor us."

                Tyler stopped and turned to face him.  "You aren't talking about eating.  You are implying that we should all spend time together.  Become friends."

                "If we're to fight together, yes."

                "Comrades, companionship, friends.  I want none of it.  We are a team, but I do not need friends."

                "On the contrary, I've learned that everyone needs friends."

                "They've really gotten to you, Yuy.  If J could hear you now."

                "He can't.  And I don't have to be the Perfect Soldier anymore.  No more than you do.  You should give us a chance."

                "I want none of it.  And you can't change fifteen years worth of training in an instant.  I am what I am, Heero.  I can't change."  With that, she spun on her heel and continued on down the corridor.  Heero stared after her, then made his way to the mess hall.

                "She isn't coming," he told the other four pilots.  "She wants none of it."

                "She's worse than you, Heero," Duo said.  "I didn't think that was humanly possible."

                "You expected her to change just like that?" Trowa asked.  "It's bound to take some time.  Tyler has been set in her ways for nearly fifteen years, and look how long it took us to undo nearly seven years of the same training."

                "She's buried her humanity so deeply it barely exists anymore," Quatre said.  "I can feel that it's still there, though.  It will just take a while to uncover it.  Not to mention the fact that Tyler has to want to uncover it.  We just need some patience."

                "Meanwhile, she's killing herself."  Duo sighed.  "I really thought we'd seen the last of the need for Gundams and their pilots.  Yet, every time we think that, we need them again.  What a vicious cycle."  Suddenly, he brightened.  "So where is she now?"

                "Shower, then bed," Heero answered.  "She was tired; I could see it."

                "Maybe one of us should go check on her."

                "I don't think that's a good idea, Duo," said Quatre.

                "What?  I just want to make sure that she's okay.  She was out there in her Gundam for a long time."

                "You were warned, Maxwell," Wufei cautioned.  "You only have yourself to blame if you get into trouble."

–

                Tyler cracked an eye and glared at the door as the chime sounded.  She was sitting cross-legged on her bed, meditating.  Closing her eye again, she ignored the chime as it rang again and again.  Finally, she realized that whoever was disturbing her wouldn't go away without some persuasion.

                Duo found himself facing an irritated blond as the door to Tyler's quarters opened.  "What do you want?" she demanded curtly.

                "Making sure you're okay.  You were out there for a long time."

                "I'm fine."

                "Yeah, right."

                Tyler's eyes narrowed.  "That means what?"

                Duo pushed past her and into her quarters.  "Let me ask this bluntly:  Do you intend to survive this war your fighting?"

                "I don't see how that matters."

                "Just answer the question."

                "If I have to destroy myself to destroy my enemy, I will.  Does that answer your question to your satisfaction?"

                "God, no.  I mean, yes, it answers my question, but not to my satisfaction.  Despite the fact that you annoy the hell out of me, you are one of us, and I don't want to see you die in this war."

                "Don't get all sentimental on me and start talking about how we all have to survive.  I've heard it from Quatre.  It seems to me like you have all forgotten your training.  We live for the mission, remember?  Without my mission, I have no reason to exist."

                "Like hell.  Life is precious.  Each moment you're alive is worth living."

                "Did you learn that at the Maxwell Church?"  Duo stared at her, taken aback.  "Surprised I know about that?  I know a lot more about you than you think.  I know that by all rights, you shouldn't have survived that plague, but somehow you did.  There were a lot of things you shouldn't have survived, but somehow you kept beating the odds.  Perhaps that's what makes you an exceptional pilot."

                Stopping, Tyler took some deep breaths, attempting to regain her composure.  More calmly, she continued.  "Maybe it was a mistake to bring you all out here.  You've all gone soft since the war of AC 195.  None of you have the drive you once did.  You've all become too human."

                Duo sighed.  "Only you would see that as a fault.  I've found that it's a strength."  He turned to leave, then stopped and looked back at her.  "At least I know I can get a rise out of you.  Now I'm certain that your humanity is somewhere in there, under your training.  Guess I'll have to find a way to dig it out."  As Tyler glared after him, he left.

                "How the hell does he do that to me?" she asked the empty air.  "No one makes me lose control like that.  No one should be able to make me lose control like that."  Tyler breathed deeply, glad that Sensei M was not around to see her lapse in control.  As she tried to regain her calm, she had the sinking feeling that her ordered world was about to be turned upside-down, and she was helpless to stop the spin.

–

                Sensei M folded his hands together as he watched Tyler attempt to regain her calm after her exchange with the Deathscythe pilot, with limited success.  She had been too long isolated, he realized, to be quite suddenly surrounded with other people.  Her emotions had sensed the weakness in their prison and were now trying to escape their bonds.  With a measure of her control surrendered to the other pilots, it wouldn't be long before they succeeded.

                He, however, was not as uncompassionate as his counterparts.

                "Just a while longer, my Shadow.  Soon I will let you break free of your chains and fly on your own.  Just a little while longer, then you are free."

End Part Three

There, it's done!  Sorry it took so long.  I tried, really I did.  As always, feedback is welcome and appreciated.  I sincerely hope Part Four won't take me nearly as long.  For those who are wondering, yoshi means good, and konbanwa means good evening in greeting.  I really need to stop finding those typos.  Reposted, again, and hopefully I got everything.


	4. Part Four

_*I know the pilots are a bit out of character.  Hey, it's been a year or so since we last saw them.  We knew they were going to change after the war was over.  Ano… the five scientists are dead.  They won't be suddenly reappearing.  Treize Khushrenada… I don't know yet.  Any questions?  Comments?  Criticisms?  Anything?_

**Operation Omega Shadow:**

**Part Four**

      By Kagemusha (Shadow Warrior)

                Punch.  Kick.  Roundhouse.  Uppercut.

                Tyler finished her cycle only to start back at the beginning.

                Kick.  Punch.  Sweep.

                Someone else might take notice that the punching bag was on its last legs.  It was about to fall apart after the abuse it had taken.  Tyler didn't care.  Sweat covered every inch of her skin, making her clothes cling, but she continued relentlessly.

                Punch.  Punch.  Kick.

                "I'm no expert, but I don't think that bag can hold up to too much more of that."  Tyler spared Howard a glance, then returned her concentration to the routine.

                "Is there… something you want?"

                "Just thought maybe you'd like to talk."

                "Why is that… everyone wants to… talk?"

                "Those pilots just want to help because they understand what you're going through."

                "I never… asked for, nor do I… want help.  As for what I'm… going through, I don't think they… do understand."

                "How can you be so sure?  Those boys have been through quite a bit."

                "I know… everything about them.  They don't… understand."  Tyler's last kick sent the bottom half of the bag flying across the room, covering the floor with sand.  "They want to change me.  I have no desire to change who I am."  She turned to look at him.  "Is there anything else?"

                "M said to tell you that he wants you to show the boys the experimental weapons lab."

                "Kay and Terra's lab.  Can't someone else do it?"

                "Is that hesitation I hear?" Howard asked as she strode past him.

                "Never.  I don't feel like being killed in a freak explosion today."

                "Those are orders."

                "Hn.  Ryoukai."  Tyler left the room and strode down the hallway for a while before leaning against the wall.  "I fear nothing, but please don't let them be blowing something else up today.  I don't need another concussion right now."

–

                "Fire in the hole!"  The cry echoed down the corridor as Tyler led the other five Gundam pilots to the weapons lab.  Tyler found herself suppressing the urge to beat her forehead with a fist as the boys all dove to the floor.  An explosion sounded not more than five seconds after the warning, and something came flying down the corridor.  Tyler stepped to one side, then continued walking when the unidentifiable flying object had passed.

                "That was great!" exclaimed one of the female technicians—Indian, tall, petite, with black hair falling to just past her shoulders—as Tyler stepped into the room.

                "Did you see that thing go?" the other asked.  She had curly brown hair caught up in a braid and hazel eyes.  Both women were extremely pretty, but at least five years older than Tyler.  Both Terra and Kay started talking at once as they spotted her.  Tyler made no attempt to follow either, and had to force her hands to uncurl from fists as the five boys cautiously followed her into the room.

                "What was that flying through the corridor?" she asked when the exclamations had died somewhat.  "How fast was it going, and is it in danger of going through the bulkheads?"

                "A file cabinet," Terra began.

                "It got up to forty-eight kph in half a meter," Kay continued.  They looked at each other.

                "It shouldn't go through the bulkheads," Terra finished.

                "I pray it doesn't brain anyone before it finally stops," Tyler muttered.

                "Tyler, so good to see you!" Kay suddenly exclaimed.

                "You hardly come to visit anymore," Terra said.  "I know we hit you with that sandbag a few months ago, but you weren't supposed to walk in at just that point."

                "It's not our fault you got a concussion.  Okay, it was sorta our fault, but that's no reason to stop visiting us."

                "We came up with a couple new outfits while you were not visiting us," Terra commented, changing the subject.  "Uh, we do need you to try them on, of course."

                "No time like the present," Kay piped up.  "C'mon, Tyler."

                "Kay, Terra, I'm supposed to introduce you to the Gundam pilots from the colonies now."  Tyler gestured to the young men behind her.

                "They're here?" Kay asked.

                "They spend days at a time locked in here," Tyler explained to the other pilots.  "They like to blow things up."

                "Cool," Duo commented.

                "They're cute," Terra said as she and Kay studied them.  "Tyler, you didn't tell us they were this cute.  Introduce us."

                "These two are Terra and Kay, our weapons specialists.  As I said, they like to blow things up."

                "Your names?" Kay asked sweetly.

                "I'm Quatre Raberba Winner," Quatre introduced himself.

                "My name's Duo Maxwell.  I may run and hide, but I never tell a lie."

                "Heero Yuy."

                "Trowa Barton."

                "Chang Wufei."

                "They're cute, and they have interesting names."  Kay grinned.  "Oh, this is gonna be fun.  Tyler, you're not getting out of trying on the outfits, though."

                "Let's go, Tyler," Terra said, grabbing one of her arms.  "We can get the pilots' opinions too."

                Kay latched onto Heero's arm and dragged him along.  "You guys have to come."  She beckoned to the other pilots, who followed.  "We always need the opinions of some young men."

                Tyler suppressed a sigh and glared at Terra.  "Omae o korosu."

–

                Tyler paid Mark no mind as she went at the punching bag.  He watched her for a few minutes, not saying anything.  "You know, we just had to change that because you busted the old one.  I think it would be greatly appreciated if you didn't bust this one up on the same day."

                "Hn."

                "Are you okay?"

                "I am performing at optimum levels."

                "That's not what I meant."

                "You know that I don't have an answer for what you meant."  They were silent for a few more minutes.

                "Heard you had to go see Kay and Terra today."

                "Hai."

                "Were they blowing anything up?"

                "Aren't they always?  Were there any reports of hull breeches or personnel being brained by a flying object?"

                "No…  What did they use this time?"

                "File cabinet.  Forty-eight kph in half a meter."

                "And nobody's dead?  It must be a miracle."

                "Hn."

                "Did they have new outfits for you to try on this time?"

                Tyler finally let a sigh escape.  "Don't they always?  The other pilots were with me.  Kay and Terra were going to make them watch.  Ducked out by saying I had to train, so that's what I'm doing."

                "Looks to me like your beating up on the poor punching bag when it didn't do anything to you."  Mark grinned as Tyler glared at him.

                "Why is everyone suddenly trying to get a rise out of me?"

                "Because those five pilots already have, and it's renewed our hopes that you might be human under there somewhere."  Tyler opened her mouth to reply, but finding nothing to say, closed it again and turned back to the punching bag.  "Did I hit on something, Shadow?"

                "Shut up, Mark."

                "You are human under that perfect soldier."

                "I said shut up."  She swung at him, not as hard as she would have had he been an enemy, but hard enough to hurt.  He ducked and rushed her.  Within minutes they were trading blows in a mock fight.  Mark had worked with her on some of her early training, and even though he wasn't quite a match for her, he could hold his own.

                After the fight had progressed for a while, Tyler set herself for Mark's next rush.  Once he rushed her, she flipped him over her shoulder, twisting to land on top of him.  Using her weight and a little leverage, she pinned him to the floor.

                "Now what are you going to say?" she asked.

                "Tyler, I'm tellin' it like it is.  Now, when you were seven, you said I was your friend.  Has that changed?"

                "Iie.  I guess I still consider you a friend."  She let him up and sat down on the floor next to him.  "Things are just… different now.  I have to be this perfect soldier, and fight to protect all of humanity.  I'm realizing at seventeen that I never had a chance to be a kid."

                "Hey, this whole thing has been tough on all of us, but especially on you.  You have no idea what it was like to watch you for the past decade, and see you become a little less human each day.  A lot of us felt sorry for you, but we were also glad it wasn't us."

                "I don't need pity," Tyler snarled.

                "No pity.  We feel because we care.  We're family here, Tyler."

                "I just… I can't deal with this.  I don't know how to."

                "You need to talk with Sensei M.  In fact, he wanted to see you about twenty minutes ago."

                Tyler looked at him, and the ghost of a smile crossed her face.  "Baka."

                "Maybe so, but it makes life a little less boring.  Go see him."

                "Right."

–

                "You wanted to see me?" Tyler asked as she entered Sensei M's quarters.  She stood at stiff attention.  Sensei M sighed a bit to see it.  He had never completely agreed with the idea of creating perfect soldiers.  It was one of the things he had vehemently disagreed with his colleagues on.  In the end, though, he had given in to necessity.

                "Yes," he answered.  "At ease, Shadow."  Tyler relaxed her stance marginally.  "I've noticed that you've become much more… open emotionally since the arrival of the other five pilots."  A muscle in her jaw started working, and he could follow her thought to its conclusion:  reconditioning.

                "Sensei—"

                "No reconditioning, Tyler."

                "Sir?"  Confusion, surprise—that was good.

                "No reconditioning.  I've never made it a secret that there were some things I disagreed with my colleagues on.  The creation of perfect soldiers from children was one of them.  In the end, I gave in to the necessity of it, but even now I doubt the wisdom in that, especially when I see what it did to you.

                "You were the first, Tyler.  Your training was the basis for that of the other pilots.  You are the original Gundam pilot.  You were training for war at an age when no child should ever have to understand war.  I feel that I must apologize to you for that."

                "Apologize to me?"

                "I had no intention for you to lose your humanity out here.  How can you fight a war to save humanity while losing the very thing that makes you human?  It seems incongruous.  But it is what happened, and now I have to correct my oversight.

                "Over the past fifteen years, I have come to regard you as an adoptive daughter.  The people on this station consider themselves a family, and like it or not, you are part of that family.  Now the other Gundam pilots have become a part of that family, and they have started to drag emotions deeply buried out of you.  I knew this would happen, and frankly, I'm glad to see it."

                "Sir?"

                "I have new orders for you.  You must complete this mission that we set out upon, but I want you to learn what it is to be human again.  At the end of this war, you will rejoin the human race.  Those are orders, Shadow."

                Tyler was silent a moment, digesting this new loop.  Finally, she met his gaze.  "Ninmu ryoukai."

                "That's my Shadow.  Dismissed.  Find the pilots; have some fun.  I've been on the receiving end of your tongue enough to know that there's a brutal sense of humor in there somewhere.  You could give Maxwell a run for his money."

                Tyler's lips quirked in a slight smile.  "That's a mission I will take great pleasure in."

–

                "Get up, Maxwell."  Duo groaned and rolled over, pulling the covers over his head.

                "Too early.  Don' wanna."  If the blanket hadn't been blocking his vision, he might have seen the blue eyes flash with determination before his mattress was upended, dumping him to the floor.  "What the…?"  He glared angrily at Tyler, who was standing over him.

                "I said get up."

                "You didn't have to do that.  What the hell is your MO?"

                "Your Gundam is nearly finished.  I thought you might want to help with the finishing touches.  Lady Une and Relena are also leaving in two hours.  Sensei wants the Gundams to escort their shuttle to the asteroid belt, as a test run.  We'll be running a training exercise in the belt after they're on their way."

                Duo shot to his feet.  "The Gundams are almost done?!  Why didn't you say so in the first place?"  He dashed around the room in search of clothes, then stopped and glanced at her.  "Ano, do you mind?  Some privacy, please."

                "Construction bay, ten minutes."  Tyler turned on her heel and strode out.  Exactly nine minutes and fifty-five seconds later, Duo dashed into the construction bay and made a beeline for the new Deathscythe Hell.  Tyler, sitting on the open hatch of the Tallgeese III, looked at her watch and sighed.  "I knew he'd take me literally on that," she muttered.

                "Is he getting on your nerves, dear cousin?" Zechs asked from pilot's chair.

                "Are you implying that he is an irritation to me?"

                "I'm saying that he's annoying you."

                Tyler glared at him.  "I don't get annoyed."  Her jaw clenched, and she looked away.  "At least I didn't until all of you came along.  What is wrong with me as I am that you all have to attempt to change me?"

                "Well…"

                "I only ask a straight answer from you, Milliardo.  As my cousin, I only ask of you the truth."

                "Because we've seen the end to the path you walk, and because we care about you, dare I say love you, we don't want to see you reach the end of what is a self-destructive path."  He held up a hand to stop any replies she might have made.  "I know, you have to do all you can to save the people of Earth and the Colonies.  We've been down that road.  It's just that we don't want to lose you or anyone for some people we don't know unless we're damn sure we did everything we could to prevent it.  That is the only way we'd accept your death.  First, of course, you have to care about your own life, which you don't.  To care about one's own life is human, and we are going to do our damnedest to make you see that you are human."

                "What he said," Heero said with a slight smirk as he appeared on Tallgeese's shoulder.  "You can't hide forever, Tyler."

                Tyler's gaze darted between the two of them.  "Talk about the pot calling the kettle black," she muttered as she jumped to the floor.  Standing at Sandrock's feet, she looked up at Quatre.  "I'm going to go run a systems check on Shadow.  Call me when you're all ready."

                "Roger," Quatre acknowledged.

                Leaving the construction bay, she stalked down the corridors.  When she heard someone call her name, she turned to see Relena hurrying to catch up with her.  Relena smiled and matched her pace.

                "I was hoping to catch you before Lady Une and I had to leave," she said.

                "Please, Relena, I don't need it from you too."

                Relena laughed.  "I shan't, since I'm the one who started it with Heero to begin with.  The entire station crew should be enough for you.  More than enough, once the Maganac arrive.  Actually I just wanted to inform you that you had better come back alive."

                "Nani?"

                "Like it or not, you are one of the last living Peacecrafts.  While we aren't reclaiming the lost Sanc Kingdom, we still have important roles in society.  People look up to us, and they will be watching you.  You may not follow the beliefs of our family, but they are still within you.  You have a duty to pass on those beliefs."

                Tyler stopped walking and closed her eyes.  "Don't make me promise, Relena.  I can't."  Tentatively, she met her cousin's gaze.  "But I will try.  That is all I can offer."

                "Then that is all I ask."  On an impulse, Relena threw her arms around her cousin.  "Stay well, Tyler.  My prayers and those of every person on Earth and the Colonies are with you.  Show those aliens what happens when you mess with the human race."  Releasing Tyler, she turned on her heel and walked away.

                Tyler stared after her for a moment.  "Everyone on this station has gone stark raving mad."

                "Including yourself?" asked a voice from the shadows.

                "My mental state of health is just fine."

                "If you are behaving normally, then I would assume everyone else is as well.  If everyone has gone mad, reason would state that you have too.  If your mental health is unaffected, it would stand to reason that nearly everyone else on this station is sane.  I suppose you are saying that you have not been behaving abnormally?"

                "Damn you," Tyler muttered.

                "Language, dear Shadow."

                "I don't know why I saved your life.  I should have left you adrift in space right where I found you."

                "But you didn't, and here I am, and I am eternally grateful to you for that.  You do know, with the Gundam pilots staying here, it will be hard to keep them from learning of my presence."

                "I guess that means we'll just have to tell them, then."  Tyler turned to look at the man in the shadows.  "I'll let you know, Treize.  I just need a little more time to gain their complete trust.  Then I can let you come back to life."

                "I await your approval.  I only pray that I don't regain my life only to lose it again."

                "Believe me, Treize, I hope so too."

End Part Four

Okay, I did it.  I didn't really plan it.  I mean, the idea was there, but I wasn't really intending to bring Treize back until he just appeared there.  Oh well.  Thanks to Terra and Kay (you guys know who you are) for the use of their characters.  I'll attempt to return them in one piece.  As always, comments are welcome.


	5. Part Five

*Sorry it's taken so long for me to get this.  College sucks.  Especially when you have four classes in a term.  Stress!  Anyway, enjoy.  Yeah, I did start this last term, and I've been reprimanded for not updating, so here it is, finally.

**Operation Omega Shadow:**

**Part Five**

      By Kagemusha (Shadow Warrior)

                "Pilots, sound off."

                "Pilot 06, Wind reporting.  All systems functioning normally."  Zechs was the first to answer Sensei M's call, with Noin immediately after him.  Tyler listened to the rest of them call in before reporting herself.

                "Pilot 00, Shadow responding.  All systems green.  Howard, is Peacemillion ready?"

                "We're ready to leave any time you are, Shadow," Howard answered.

                "Right, then.  Let's move out."  The six Gundams, Tallgeese, and Taurus launched into space and formed up, moving to escort the Peacemillion.  "We'll escort the Peacemillion as far as the asteroid belt, then we'll be running some practice maneuvers.  Duo, you and I are going to be forward scouts."

                "Wouldn't Heero and Wing Zero be better?" Duo asked.  "And what's the point?  There haven't been any sightings of enemy craft."

                "Deathscythe Hell has stealth abilities superior to that of Wing Zero.  There may not be any need, but the enemy has been known to get past all our detection devices before.  I once had to destroy a temporary base they were setting up in the asteroid belt.  We may not run into them, but I'd rather they didn't know it before we wanted them to if we do."

                "Point taken."

                "We'll handle things here," Quatre said.  "Let us know if you run into trouble."

                "Roger."  Shadow and Deathscythe sped off ahead of the escort.

                "Do you really expect to find anything out here?" Duo asked after a while.

                "Not really, but I wouldn't put it past the enemy."

                "What are you fighting out here?"

                Tyler was silent for a moment, staring at her screens but not really seeing them.  "In truth, I really don't know.  They're not like anything I've ever seen before.  Their technology is far more advanced than ours."

                "How do you beat them, then?"

                "It wasn't easy to get to the point we're at now.  There was a lot of trial and error.  There were a few encounters where the only reason I survived is because a Gundam is made of Gundanium.  We've studied and attempted to incorporate their technology.  Right now, we are able to deal with the scouts they send in, but I have no idea how things will change once the main invasion fleet comes in."

                "Talk about up a creek without a paddle," Duo muttered.  "For all we know, we could be completely outclassed."

                "That may be true, but would you rather sit back and do nothing?"

                "Never.  If death is coming, I'm not gonna sit around and wait for it.  I'd rather face it head-on."

                "We agree on something, Shinigami."

                "So we do, Shadow."  Tyler could hear Duo's grin through the comm line.  "What are we lookin' for, boss?"

                "The enemy's ships have a distinct power signature that we've learned to look for," Tyler answered as she sent his Gundam the information.  "You keep your sensors on the left, and I'll take the right."

                "Will do.  Happy hunting."

–

                "Wufei, keep doing that, and you're going to get yourself killed."

                "What would you know, onna?"

                Tyler glared at his image on her screen.  "I know that I've been doing this for far longer than you have.  I know what tactics have worked thus far against this enemy.  If you keep coming straight on like that, you ARE going to be killed."

                "She's right, Wufei," Quatre added.  "We should listen to her for now.  She knows what she's doing better than we do."

                Tyler met Wufei's eyes through the video feed, making her expression as impassive as she could.  "Wufei, I don't think that I have to remind you that I am your superior officer.  If you don't want to take orders from me, go back to Earth.  But if you want to stay out here and fight, swallow your pride and listen to me.  Maybe you'll survive this, then."

                "That's rich coming from someone who doesn't seem to care about her own life."

                "I just don't want to be responsible for any more deaths."  Tyler immediately regretted opening her mouth.  It hadn't been her intention to tell them that.

                "What deaths are you responsible for?" Heero asked.  "You're not talking about the early scouts."

                Tyler sat in silence for a moment, a faraway look in her eyes.  When she answered, something of her control seemed to have disappeared.  Her tone was still as emotionless as ever, but they could all hear something trembling underneath.  "Not here.  Back to the station.  I'll tell you there."

                It was a silent flight.  None of the usual bantering between the pilots was present.  Rather, all were contemplating what seemed to have Tyler so unraveled.  She didn't seem the type to lose control so quickly, considering what they knew of her background.  And no one could come up with a reason for it.

                Terra and Kay were waiting for them when they returned.  "How'd it go?" Kay asked as Tyler brushed past them.  They immediately moved to keep pace with her.

                "I don't want to talk about it."

                "Couldn't have been that bad," Terra said.  "We tested those weapons ourselves.  Okay, we nearly blew the station up one or two times doing it, but—"

                "I don't want to talk about it!"  Tyler whirled on them, anger and frustration apparent in voice and expression, but stopped and ran a hand over her face when she noticed the other seven pilots behind the two women.  "Just… go find Treize," she finally said to Kay and Terra.  "Tell him to meet me in the conference room."

                "Right," Kaye responded.  She and Terra shared a concerned look before heading down the corridor in the opposite direction.

                "Treize?" Zechs asked after the two of them had disappeared.

                "Yes."  Tyler started off down the corridor again, forcing the seven of them to follow.  "Treize Khushrenada is alive.  I saved him; he's here; that's it."

                "You were there in the end, then."

                "And you were stupid in the end, all of you.  But that's an argument we're not going to get into."  Entering the conference room, she strode over to the window and stared out, ignoring them.  She was still standing like that when Treize entered with Kay and Terra.

                "As delighted as I am to see you all again," he began, "I do believe that this is not the time for feelings of gladness.  May I ask what is going on?"

                "Apparently you're just in time for some big confession," Duo replied.  "Take a seat.  And welcome back from the dead."

                "Tyler, what is it?" Terra asked.

                Tyler turned to face them, but she didn't meet anyone's eyes.  "There's one more thing you should know.  I wasn't the only Gundam pilot out here.  There were four more."

                "Were?" Wufei repeated.

                "Where are they?" Duo demanded.

                "They're dead," Tyler answered softly.  "They're dead, and it's my fault."

End Part Five

Okay, see?  It's done!  Sorry it took so long.  Adjusting to college life can be difficult.  Interesting twist, ne?  Didn't plan it, it just happened.  If anybody finds any inconsistencies with the first couple parts, let me know.  I tried to go back and change them, but I'm not sure if they uploaded or if I got all of them.  Perfect Soldier, thanks for your reviews, and I'm still considering the Robotech/Macross crossover.  I'm not quite sure what I'm doing yet.  Tyler has taken over and is writing her own story now.  Again, thanks to Terra and Kay for their characters, I'll still try to return them in one piece, but I can't guarantee anything if they keep trying to damage everyone.  As always, reviews are welcome!


End file.
